Connected wall store furniture



Feb. 27, 1951 A. VANDERVELD ET AL 2,543,263

CONNECTED WALL STORE FURNITURE Filed Oct. 13, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 LL\NvENToR Amnom \lAnumvaLo LLEN \LDAHME.

ATTORNEYS Feb. 27, 1951 A, VANDERVELD ET AL 2,543,263

CONNECTED WALL STORE FURNITURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 13, 194'?\NVENTO ALLEN H. DAHME.

ATTORNEYS Feb. 27, 1951 A. VANDERVELD ET AL 2,543,263

CONNECTED WALL STORE FURNITURE Filed Oct. 13, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3\uvzu og Amnoux' Vggngvml 1 .LLEN H.DAHME manna Patented Feb. 27, 1951IYSTATES PATEN T OFF 1 CE CONNECTED WALL STORE FURNITURE -A-nt'hony"Vanderveld and AllenHJDa'hme, "Grand Rapids, Mich, :assi'gnors to GrandRapids Store Equipment Com-pany, Grand Rapids, Mich a oorporation'nfMichigan Claims.

The presentinvention "relates to a novel construction for connectingstore furniture cases, cabinets, mirrors, alcoves, doors, or likefurniture units toge'sther, "in a manner such that they may be eitherdisposed indirect horizontal alinement or'swungto different angularpositions with respect to each "other. Such angular relation ofmerchandise holding cabinets to each other, and also with respect tominors or alcoves or doors interposedin the length of a connected seriesoi cases, is very "desirable "for a better appear- "anc'e in the store,and "in many cases :a more satisfactory "arrangement for utilization ofthe store 'ispace.

The "connection which we have provided permits the "connected furnitureunits to swin about the axes of vertical hinges "at the "front thereofand a line ofthe storeifurniture may take either a generally convex or agenerally concave curvature. One object and purpose of the invention isto provide .a :novel means for the location of merchandise holding casesin .a position to each other to provide a generally convex 'front of theassembled furniture, utilizing the "same hinge means "which is .used forthe positioning of the several units of 's'tore fumiture hingedly comiected together for the .provision of a generally concave front.

Another object :and "purpose is to provide a simple and "novel means.for securing the functions and results stated, which .isreadilymanufactur'ed "and I assemliled at "low cost and which provides anattractive appearance, with a covering "up and disgiiising o'fallh'inges by means or anoveL'rea dil'y attached and detached.decorative covering therefor.

An understanding of the invention .may "be had from the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich,

Fig. .1 is in -2811928 1 plan view of 4a .series of store iturnitmelnxiitshinge'dly connected to gether,

and 'wifihftiie merchandise hdldmg cabinets out of :alirremera'with eachother -ea vthe "assembled furniture assuming a generally curvedposition, Figs. are enlar ed horizontal sections through units or theconnected l'furniture,

Fig. .4 is alfragmentary vertical section through the front .part of amerchandise holding case Fig-YB isa similar vertical section through amirror imit, on the plane oflline 5-35 of Fig. 1, 'Figlfiis a similarvertical section throu h the dooriframe, on "the plane of line "6-15 ofFig. .1, 'Figfi'? "is a'rragmentary rear elevation thereof,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation and vertical section through themirror unit with the cover for the hinges separated therefrom,

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary front elevation illushating the hinge connectionfor the units of store furniture,

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary vertical section, from front to rear, and frontelevation through the hinge structure and cover therefor,

Fig. "11 is a fragmentary perspective view from the rear of thedecorated cover,

Fig. 12 is a plan viewthereof,

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal section through a display"case, illustrating the manner in which shelves may he supportedtherein,

Fig. "14 is a fragmentary vertical section from "front to rear, on theplane of line M-M of Fig. 13, and

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section, substantially onthe plane of line 15-45 of Fig. '13.

L'ikereference characters refer to like parts in the difierent'figuresof the drawings.

In store furniture, display cases or cabinets i, having bottom, top,back and vertical ends, are common, 'the fronts of said "cabinetsheingopen, and Within the cabinets shelves or other supports for merchandiseare mounted. Frequently "the cases contain drawers in which mer-'c'handise is held and at other times are supplied with overlappingsliding front doors for closing atthe front, out with ready access tothe merchandise therein. Also "at times bet-ween merchandise holdingcases a "mirror, as indicated at is interposed. Also a door frame '3having a hinged door to mounted thereon, through which frame, when thedoor is opened, a clerk may pass for access to stock. At other times analcove, indicated at 4, is used. With our inventiongwhentwo adjacentdisplay "cases are to "be located at an obtuse angle to each other,between them at'their adi'acent ends and at the "front a verticahfiller51's located.

'With'our invention a common means of'connesting the displaycasesymirror or dooryframe, alcove or 'fi'llen'is provided which permitspivotal movements ofithe cases'or cabinets with respect to each otherabout vertical axes, or a pivota movement of .any .of the otherconnected units in the same manner. so that the line of storefurniture'may be shiftedand swung out of alin'ement and into a generally.curved iorm as shown in'Fig. 1.. It is to he understood that theverticalheight of the mirror unit, the door unit,

the alcove unit and the filler is substantially the same as that of amerchandise holding or display cabinet.

With our invention, for example with the mirror unit 2 (Fig. 2), at eachvertical edge thereof an elongated fiat metal plate 6 is securedextending the height of the mirror unit and which extends in frontthereof, each of said plates being bent outwardly and away from eachother in front of the mirror unit in an elongated hinge member I. Thefree vertical edges of the hinge members I are formed, at spaced apartdistances in the length thereof, with cooperating rolls for the passageof hinge pins. The same plates 6 with outward angularly disposed hingemembers I are secured at vertical sides of the door frame 3, and also atthe vertical side edges of the filler 5. The filler 5 is merely arelatively narrow elongated board, as shown, with the metal plates 6secured thereto at its vertical edges.

The cabinet or case structure may include vertical back posts 8, withmeans for receiving a vertical back 9 for the cabinet at their edgeportions, and also for receiving and holding the rear edges of Verticalends I0. The front posts II and I2, as well as the back posts, are ofsheet metal parts, and between the front posts lower channel guides I3,for the lower edges of sliding doors, may be secured. Such sheet metalposts II and I2 have the metal at their inner sides continued outwardand bent at an angle, as indicated at I4, corresponding substantially tothe angularly disposed hinge members 1 bent from the vertical plates 6.The free vertical edges of the angularly disposed extensions Hi arelikewise formed with hinge pintle receiving rolls. The clips I5connected with the posts II and I2 serve to engage the front verticaledge portions of the sides IQ of the case to hold them in place, asshown.

The alcove sides may be made of spaced hollow sheet metal posts I6, withsecuring means for a panel I! between the posts (Fig. 2). The outersides of the outer posts of the alcove are likewise extended and bent toone side at an angle to provide an elongated vertical hinge section I8,similar to the sections I and I4, and equipped at their free verticaledges with the hinge pintle receiving rolls.

Any desired arrangement of the plurality of units making up aninstallation of store furniture may be followed. A plurality of thecases or cabinets may be located end to end, as many as wanted, and theoutwardly extending hinge members I4, having their hinge rolls orknuckles coming together, have hinge pins I9 pass therethrough, therebyhingedly connecting all of the cases or cabinets together. They may belocated in direct alinement, or may be swung outwardly with respect toeach other to take a generally arcuate form, concave at the outer sideof the cases. Likewise, the door frame 3 with its door mounted therein,or the mirror unit 2, may be connected between cabinets or cases or toeach other or to the posts of the alcove sides,.any desired arrangementof the several units being possible. When two display cabinets or caseunits are located end to end and a swinging of one with respect to theother in the opposite direction is wanted, to provide a generally convexfront, the filler 5 is used. With the door frame or the mirror or thealcove, such reverse curvature of the front of the assembled storefurniture may be had without the use of fillers.

The hinge connected units have the hinge knuckles covered with aconcealing and decorative cover. Such cover consists of an elongatedV-shaped metal member 26, at the inner trough of which, at spaced apartdistances, retaining spring clips 2| are secured, being welded at oneend and extend downwardly at their free end portions. The clips, of theform best shown in Fig. 10, are spaced apart'the same distance as thehinge knuckles, and the downwardly extending free end sections of saidclips may be passed behind said spring knuckles and by moving the cover20 downwardly, securely yet releasably held in place. This provides avery attractive outer appearance and at the same time, permits theseveral hingedly connected units a pivotal movement about the verticalaxes of the hinges. The clips 2| of spring material, and preferably ofwire, yield to permit the troughlike cover member 20 to move outwardlyupon angular change of position of said units with respect to eachother.

The structural detail of the cabinets or cases at their rear portions,and the manner in which the bottom, back and vertical ends thereof maybe secured, is subject to wide variation without affecting theinvention. Preferably, in connection with the mirror and door units, thetop of the door frame will be covered by a metal plate 22 of the shapebest shown in Fig. 5, and with angle clips 23 secured at the upper edgeof the mirror back to extend downwardly in front of the upper edge ofthe mirror plate, while the lower. edge of the mirror plate is receivedback' of a cleat 24 secured at the front of the mirror. plate andconnected with the back. The upper ends of the side plates 6 and theangular hinge extensions I arewelded or otherwise permanently connectedto the-forward portions of the top plate 22. A similar structure, isused in connection with the door frame, a stop plate 22 of metalconnected with the upper side of the frame extending forwardly over theupperv edges of the side plates 6 and their angular front extensions Iand welded thereto.

With the case or cabinet, the top of it is supported at its front by aguide Isa of channel form for the innermost sliding door. A plate havinga horizontal section 25 is welded 01' otherwise secured to the guideI3a, extends forward and is then return bent downwardly and to the rear,as at 26, to complete, with the front flange of the guide I3a, a guidefor the outer sliding door. At their end portions the sections 26 arewelded or otherwise secured to the upper ends of the front posts II andI2 and their outwardly extended angular sections I4. Such detailofstructure is not essential to the prees'nt invention, but is disclosedas a practical working structure which has been produced.

In Figs. 13, 14 and 15, the manner in which shelves may be assembled andsupported in a display case is shown. In the rear posts 8 and in thefront posts I I and I2, which latter posts have the angle extensions I4projecting forwardly therefrom, a plurality of spaced vertical slots 21are made at their inner sides. Those in the front post members II andI2. are back of the horizontal lower guiding channels I3 for slidingdoors. Between the front post members I I or I2 and the rear postmembers 8 at the inner side of each displayv case, an angleshelf-support 28.1s located, the vertical leg. of which at eachend has ahook member or ear 29 to pass through a slot 2! to thereby connect theangle shelf-supporting bars 28 detachably to the posts. A shelf 30 ateach end and at its under side has a bar 3|, of

flat metal, secured thereto connected at their front ends by a front bar82. As shown in Fig. 15, said bars at their outer edges have downturnedlips which extend partly over the outer sides of the downwardlyextending legs of the angle bar shelf-supports 28 and at their endsengage the front and rear posts or uprights ii and i2 and 8. Thisprovides a very secure interlocking connection of the shelves so thatwhen in use, they are held and retained against aimless or otherundesired movement.

With the invention as disclosed, a ver practical, efficient, economicaland useful improvement in store furniture is made. The sides of theuprights or posts I i and I2, with the vertical channel sectionstherein, permit an elimination of a separate and complete sliding dooframe which has previously been made and after it is made, permanentlysecured in place between the front uprights or posts. the lower channelguides 13 to said front uprights or posts, and providing a guide for theupper edges of the doors as in Fig. 4, and welding them at their ends inplace, the vertical uprights or posts I i and i2 serve an additionalfunction of providing the vertical sides of the door frame, with anelimination of material previ ously used, reducing cost of production.By the formation of the vertical channel sections in the front posts oruprights H or E2, and with the terminal rear flanges of said frontuprights or posts turned outwardly, and a corresponding structure of therear post members 8 having outwardly extending terminal flanges at theirfront edges, and against which outwardly extending flanges the dividingpartitions or ends 18 engage, an interlocking connection of the shelvesused with the front and rear posts is obtained in a very simple,practical and effective manner.

The several units are interchangeable, that is, may be rearranged as tothe positions which they occupy with respect to each other. Theiconnecting together and disconnection for any arrangement thereof arequickly accomplished. At different seasons of the year the furniture maybe rearranged, if desired, between the time of closing a store at nightand opening it in the morning. The cost is low. A pleasing andattractive appearance is obtained. A very novel, useful, serviceable andeconomical structure has been provided.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be consideredcomprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

We claim:

1. In store furniture, a plurality of store furniture units adapted tobe located in end to end y Welding the ends of relation, hinge membersconnected with each unit at each end and at the front thereof, eachhaving a vertical hinge leaf extending appreciably forwardly andsideways therefrom, means for pivotally connecting said hinge members atthe adjacent ends of units whereby the units may be moved with respectto each other about the vertical axis of the hinging means, a cover offlat metal having a generally trough shaped cross section, and springfingers connected at the inner side of said cover member at spaced apartintervals in the length thereof and at the bottom of said trough adaptedto detachably connect with the hinging means and cover the pivotalconnections of the hinge members.

2. In store furniture, a plurality of vertical store furniture unitsadapted to be located in end to end relationship, elongated hingingmeans detachably connecting said units at adjacent ends and on verticalaxes located appreciably in front and sideways of the fronts of saidunits, a cover detachably and yieldably connected to and located at theouter side of said hinging means, said hinging means comprising, hingedleaves extending vertically the length of said units and having atspaced apart intervals in the length thereof and at their free edges,hinge rolls to receive hinge pins, said rolls on the adjacent ends ofsaid units being adapted to be located in alinement, hinge pins to passthrough said alined rolls, and said cover comprising a length of flatmetal having a generally trough shaped cross section, and spring fingerslocated at the rear side of said cover at the bottom of the troughtherein and permanently secured thereto at their upper ends andextending downwardly, having lower free end portions adapted to passover and back of said rolls and hinge pins extending therethrough.

ANTHONY VANDERVELD. ALLEN H; DAHME.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 891,155 Farrell June 16, 19081,250,110 Vanderveld Dec. 11, 1917 1,257,097 Morris Feb. 19, 19181,412,895 Rosenthal Apr. 18, 1922 1,432,044 Vincent Oct. 17, 19221,434,220 Morris Oct. 31, 1922 2,268,669 Moore Jan. 6, 1942 2,342,453Colucci Feb. 22, 1944 2,422,447 Trautvetter June 17, 1947

